P. AND T. SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1922, Page 5

P. AND T. SERVICE.

WARNING FROM PREMIER. JOINING ALLIANCE OPPOSED, WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, April 12. A deputation of well over a hundred, representing the Welfare League, Chambers of Commerce, shipping, commercial, professional and busmess interests, waited on the Premier and Postmaster-General to-day in reference to the decision of the Post and Telegraph Association to join the Alliance of Labor. Mr. Matthew Carr, the leading spokesman, said that when he read the result of the ballot he was greatly concerned, and felt he must voice a protest. He viewed the decision of the Government to refuse to permit affiliation with satisfaction. They were strongly opposed to a body like the Post and Telegraph—'brain workers, with appeal boards, superannuation, and all the privileges of the State service—being allowed to ally themselves with those who preached not only direct action against their own immediate employers, but against the whole community. He suggested that theit was some underlying reason for the decision. It is a case of under which King—the Government or the Alliance of Labor? There could be no intermediate position. If a clash came they were shoulder to shoulder with the Government in the fight. “UNDERMINE LOYALTY.” Mr. J. T. Martin, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said that if propaganda from sueh a body as the Alliance of Labor was to be infused in the Post and Telegraph Department it ’ would tend to undermine all loyalty I and secrecy. He urged the Government ! absolutely to decline to deal with the • Alliance of Labor in any matters afi fectirig the Post and Telegraphs, and if the Post and Telegraphs became a part of the alliance to refuse recognition of the association. Mr. Massey, in reply, said that a very large proportion of the Post and Telegraph Department were thoroughly reliable and trustworthy officers, and correspondence was perfectly safe in their hands, but the proposed action aroused suspicion that, in the event of industrial trouble, correspondence would not be safe. The Government wanted a i satisfactory public service, and recognised that it could not get that unless it had a satisfied public service. They could not have two governments in one country, and any attempt to bring that about would cause serious trouble. “I assure you,” he said, “that the Government will on no account consent to the affiliation of the Post and Telegraph Association with the Alliance of Labor. (Applause.) We are- not going to allow this thing to drift.”

GOVERNMENT FIRM. Mr. Massey referred to the Post and Telegraph Association's reply to Mr. Coates, saying that his letter would be published in the Katipo and. be duly placed before the members for discussion. No date was given. That, Mr. Massey said, was not a proper reply to the Government. The Government should have been told definitely and elearlv when the letter would be placed before members, and when it would receive a reply. “It appears to me,” said Mr. Massey, “an attempt to flout the Government. Very well, we don’t stand for that sort of thing.” He thought that if the Post and Telegraph Association had the opportunity of taking another ballot it would reverse the decision, and concluded: “I have a pretty good idea of what the next move will be, but do not want to discuss that now. I will say this. The Government will not, on any account whatever, put up with the post and telegraph service joining the Alliance of Labor.”

MINISTER WANTS EARLY REPLY. Wellington, Last Night. Respecting the P. and T. reply to Mr. Coates’ communication, Mr. Coates has written to the association saying that the reply fails to meet the desire of the Government. He continues: “My letter of the seventh inat. clearly indicates that a reply was desiFed at the earliest possible date. Your statement to the effect that the matter will be considered at the next quarterly meeting of the executive committee will mean an undue delay. With a view to assisting you, facilities will be granted for members of the executive, or delegates, to attend at Wellington. This should enable your association to consider the matter and reply at an early date.

MEETING OF WELLINGTON BRANCH. CONFIDENCE IN EXECUTIVE. AFFILIATION TO PROCEED. Wellington, Last Night. The annual meeting of members of’ the Wellington branch of the J*. and T. Association was held to-night, being largely attended. The formal meeting was held in private, but the discussion on the question of affiliation with the Alliance of Labor was taken in open meeting. Mr. Combs (general secretary) nd dressed those present on the que.-t . ii and after some discussion, in which j i serious opposition was raised to tne proposal, a resolution expressing confidence in the general secretary aijcl executive was passed almost unanimously, as was a motion confirming the action of the executive in connection with the Alliance of Labor, and instructing them to proceed with the affiliation. An amendment to shelve the matter indefinitely was defeated, only four voting in favor, as against over 700 against. ANOTHER STRONG PROTEST. Wellington. Last Night. At to-day’s meeting of the Chamber of Commerce it was reported that the following resolution of the committee had been forwarded to the Government: With respect to the recent decision of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, this chamber is strongly opposed to any section of civil servants linking up with any organisation or union of a public character, be it either em p'loyers or employees. It is recognised that civil servants are in a totally different category from ordinary employees of private employers, as the service, unlike ordinary trades unions,

is subsidised. by the State through various superannuation funds, and the service possesses the means of redress, ■through the medium of the ballot box, for any grievance against their employers, the State Administration. In moving that the action of the committee be approved, the president (Mr. A. L. Hunt) said that in acknowledging the receipt of the resolution, the Post-master-General had stated that he would communicate with the chamber when public action was deemed necessary. It was obvious, he said, from the remarks made by Mr. Massey to a deputation that morning, that the Government intended to stand or fall by its decision to oppose affiliation with the Alliance of Labor. It was clear that the majority of people throughout the length and breadth of the country were opposed to the affiliation. Personally, he believed the officers realised they had made a big mistake, and they were now willing to draw out as best they could. The council approved the committee’s action in forwarding the resolution. BIG LABOR COMBINE. Auckland, April .12. A meeting of trades union executives congratulated the. Post and Telegraph Association on joining the Alliance of Labor, and promised support if necessary. The meeting recommended calling na national conference to consider the means of amalgamating the Alliance of Labor and the Australasian Workers’ Union, and all other trades unions in New Zealand. THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, April 10. The Postmaster-GeneraTs letter informing the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association that the Government views with “serious disfavor” the proposal of the Association to link up with the Alliance of Labor and that it cannot “under any consideration” countenance such a proceeding, is generally approved in business and political circles. People, however, axe placing very diverse constructions upon the Minister’s words. Some of them hold that Mr. Coates’s assertion that the Government cannot agree to any officer of the Post and Telegraph Department “endeavoring to serve the Government and at the same time the Alliance of Labor” is tantamount to a warning to the members of the Association that if they persist in their determination to join the Alliance they will be liable to dismissal from the Public Service. Others maintain that the words mean that the Minister will not tolerate any interference with the officers of the Department by outsiders, and others again that they are intended to frighten the Association into abandoning its proposal. The last suggestion may be dismissed at once. The Minister realises the gravity of the situation far too well to (teal in mere bluff. WHAT IT MEANS.

No one suspects Mr. Coates of having deliberately disguised the intentions of the Government, but everyone’admits he has left them a little obscure. The genera. opinion here is that the Government, having registered its protest against the Association allying itself with a labor organisation, will now await developments. A little delay might enable both parties to view the position in a better defined perspective. The Government •night discover that its authority had not been undermined by the Association’s affiliation with the Alliance and the Post and Telegraph Officers might realise they had nothing to gain by an assumption of militant unionism. Already a number of those that voted for affiliation are repenting and these, added to those who voted against the proposition and those who have never joined the Association, make up a substantial majority of the duicers of the Department. In these circumstances it eannot be said the revolutionary section has secured a very decisive victory.

THE AFFILIATOR’S VIEW. The supporters of the proposal for affiliation resent strongly the suggestion that its adoption will lessen the officers’ regard for the sanctity of the oath of secrecy they took on entering the service. This point was mentioned during the propaganda campaign which preceded the ballot and it was emphasised by the supporters of affiliation that every obligation borne by the officers of the Department would remain undisturbed. It should be remembered, too, that in the event of the affiliation being completed the Alliance of Labor will deal with the Executive of the Association and not with individual members. This point is important because the Executive will be representative of the members of the Association and not of the firebrands that are popularly supposed to constitute the controlling authority of the Alliance of Labor. But after all this has been said, and given its due weight, the fact remains that the Association is losing some of its independence and usefulness and. for the moment at any rate, breeding distrust in the minds of a large section of the public.

THE PARTY ASPECT. With a general election looming in the not far distant future, it is inevitable the irresponsible party politicians should attempt to make capital out of this latest Labor development. The Hollandites, of course, are delighted by the result of the ballot, persuading themselves that it is a definite accession of strength <» the aggressive Labor Party. The ; hurals view the situation with much V satisfaction. They recognise that ■iie suggestion of the Civil Service com- \ - under the influence of the Alliance of Labor will alarm many timid people •e:idy to move forward along constitutional paths, but wholly opposed to revolutionary methods. Anonymous correspondents are writing to the newspaper asking Mr. Wilford what he. intends to do in the matter, obviously wishing embarrass the leader o f the new Lib-eral-Labor party at a time when his friends would wish him to move with the utmost circumspection. The Prime Minister and the Postmaster-General stand in the position of the strong men and just now it looks as if the Government were going to profit by the trouble.

The following resolution was passed at the last monthly meeting of the Taranaki Workers’ Council: “That a telegram be sent to Mr. Coombs, •Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Association, stating that the Taranaki Workers’ Council heartily congratulates the Association on the result of the ballot in the Alliance of Labor. Workers, like employers, must combine to protect their common interests.”